The Desert Guardian
by MeowSap
Summary: This desert was certainly no place for a pale ice dragon to linger... Oneshot. Hawkeye, Ninian.


What was originally a completely random and pointless story accidentally became a story with a spiritual metaphor. I thought of the idea when I got a seriously bad sunburn on my face last weekend...I wrote this impulsively and with no real plot, so if it's really awful compared to my other works, well...I made a lame excuse! Hah! Anyways, this ties in with the Hawkeye/Ninian supports, and NO, this is NOT romance! I did add some Eliwood x Ninian in the very end, for all you fans.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or places or whatever in this fic. Pretty sad that I have to do this, but I also must warn you of a Bible verse mentioning God at the very end. _Beware_...**

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The Desert Guardian

Ninian trudged through the sea of sand, enervated from the blazing sun. Her thick azure dress encased her in heat; she could feel the sweat saturating her body. She would wipe it from her face from time to time, but the effort was futile as more trickled from her forehead.

From what it seemed, the desert stretched for miles and miles. The ocean of orange sand was covered with bumpy dunes and jagged cliffs. The sun rested at the roof of the sky, casting its flaming rays towards the earth.

This desert was certainly no place for a pale ice dragon to linger. Ninian could feel the sun quickly burning her pasty skin; the sizzling sensation climbed up her arms and spread to wherever her bare skin was vulnerable. There was no shade for miles, either. Far in the distance, where cliffs emerged from the sand, a small amount of shadows were cast, but it was so small that the strenuous journey would not be worth the effort.

"_How did I stray so far from everyone? Mark commanded me to stay here…perhaps I misinterpreted his orders…_,"she thought, desperation rising in her head.

She needed to rest; she could not tolerate the heavy lassitude any longer. Her vision blurred, not because of sweat falling into her eyes, but for the faintness enveloping her body. She swayed slightly, nearly collapsing upon the burning sand. She regretted drinking the remainder of her water so quickly, for her mouth felt parched.

She gasped for breath, "_I cannot do this. It is too much…it is too much for me to do alone._"

Ninian stumbled to her knees, gripping clumps of sand with her fingers. Some sand must have floated into her eyes; she cried out suddenly, rapidly blinking. What had led her to this miserable barren land all alone?

During her moments of pain and struggle, Ninian recalled the sight of bones buried in the desert sand, creatures that had fallen in this monotonous wasteland. She tangled with the thought of death. What if no one found her? What if she died there…alone?

She might have cried had her eyes not been so dry. The sweat could suffice for tears.

Ninian soon found a cool air pass over her body. "_What…? Is this…death?_" Her weakening spirit led her to impulsively fret over the possibility.

The ground below her gained a newborn shadow. She looked up meekly. A giant man stood before her, his huge shadow blessing her with shade. He appeared to be a firm statue carved from the crumbling desert rock, some ancient guardian of the desert. His body was covered in tan muscles, and a silver axe rested in his massive fist.

"Please…sir, I-I need your help…,"she whispered. "I am weary…"

The man's face kept a stolid frown; Ninian was unsure of his intentions. He leaned over, scooping her up with one arm. Having no energy to resist, Ninian did not squirm or cringe. She was cradled in his arm like a small, wounded animal, unmoving and lethargic.

She stared at his face with half-opened eyes, observing his solid, battle-hardened face. He must have been some desert veteran, an ancient guardian that had emerged from the sand beneath them. His eyes, which could strike instant fear into his victims, seemed to include a stroke of fatherly gentleness. She could sense a familiar aura in him, though she could not place the feeling.

Ninian closed her eyes and allowed the man to carry her through the desert. Without a sound, they soon found themselves nearing a camp. A red-haired boy appeared in the distance, pointing and waving at them. "Ninian!" he shouted, waving his hand anxiously. Ninian glanced over with a quiet gasp. "Lord Eliwood…,"she mumbled.

The lord quickly treaded across the weighty sand, eventually meeting the two. The desert guardian gently lowered the frail girl to the ground. Ninian crashed into Eliwood's arms, relieved to escape the confusing desert. "Ninian…,"he said soothingly, stroking her aquamarine hair as they hugged.

The silent guardian turned to go, seemingly unaffected by this reunited couple. Ninian paused, looking back at her savior. "Thank you," she said, gracing him with a gentle embrace as well.

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Thank you for reading! I would be eccstatic if you left a review. I adore reviews, and I appreciate those who take their time to post a even a one word review! You don't know how encouraging it is!

Within two minutes of looking for a fitting verse, I stumbled across this:

Psalm 63:1 – "O God, thou art my God; early I will seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."


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